mash and trash

San Francisco 2012 (first week)

Up and final bits of packing, it was a bit nerve wracking really, going away for 6 weeks

Mel from flat 4 gave us a lift to Chirk station

Finally worked out which side to be on the station and the train was there on 10 minutes and off to Chester

Onto another train and within two hours and some very noisy cutlery we were on London, you’d think that getting from Euston to Paddington Would be a doddle wouldn’t you? Well you’d be wrong! Anyway Paddington, Heathrow express, terminal 5 for the Sofatell hotel

Wednesday

Up, shower, fruit bowl from m and s and off from Sofatell hotel at Heathrow.

Hardly took anytime on the train to get to the terminal, and we were invited to check in up stairs where the stars and limos check in

And at no time at all (if you discount my passport not going thru for the 30th time) we were in the lounge for breakfast

After two full English (yum) off for ‘shopping the world’ bought aftershaves and lots of items from boots (it’s the law innit)

Back to lounge, me sipping express martini

It always feels its the start of the holiday sipping a yummy one

Paul had massage – which he loved- ‘ back like a brick wall’ see said (biatch) but true

And before you know it, it’s time to head for the plane – for some reason security wanted to search my stuff at gate – lord knows why – and more so, what were they looking for?

Onto plane, met lovely stewards – glass of bubbly

And settled down for great flight with VERY old entertainment system, but we didn’t watch anything but the sky map anyway, far too busy at the bar

Ate at the bar ‘soup on a plane’ and finished off with the usual bloody Mary’s

Crashed, then awake (not feeling the most awake ever) for high tea

Landed, to an almost empty airport (spooky/ joy) and quickly thru security and baggage claim to cab (not great idea) to finally arrive at hotel and be greeted by Mary-Ann and her crazy laugh, lift up to floor 44 and Voilà here we are

Had in room dining (Nesi Goreng) which was heavenly, and tried to stay awake. We manged till 10, then bed.

Thursday

Didn’t sleep very soundly (surprise) and the toilet kept flushing itself (bizarrely) and up to be greeted by a foggy day

Had some breakfast (with our 55 dollars a day voucher!) I had a spa breakfast of egg white omelet with steamed vegetables and rye toast (feckin yummy) grapefruit juice (Devine)

Bath then shower (well it was a spa breakfast) and out for a spot of shopping, via San Francisco soups for lunch

First thing we saw was great name on truck, made Squeak giggle

Popped in crate and barrel, picked up a couple of items, saw lovely duvet cover

Espressos in cafe Madeleine (potent) and quite by chance Macy’s men’s ware department, where I was able to rejuvenate my wardrobe with some great items, bought 5 items for about £70!

Popped into Walgreens (a continuing theme) wine/ snacks/ stuff – and headed back to the hotel. Asked Mary-Ann to book table at Americano but that didn’t work so went round the corner to Perbacco, a place we wanted to always try but never did, we hadn’t missed out before, not the best experience but at least we tried something new

Back to hotel, glass of wine, watching Will and Grace, bed by 11

Friday

Not great sleep (how do I do it?) and time for breakfast indoor, we had a VERY yummy eggs Benedict, country potatoes and grapefruit juice (I can taste the grapefruit now with expectation)

Lounging/ snoozing bath then shower and out for lunch

Met Micheal, he seemed more bitter than usual and great fun for it, it appears the Pride march on Sunday will go past end of street at it starts at the end of Market st just round the corner – fun!

Asked Micheal to book Redwood room and Colibre and house car for later. Out for quick half turkey sandwich (yum-a-licious) and diet coke and posed for photos

Then popped into Nike for some new trainers, they look great and feel like cushions for me feets

Which cheered me up as usually shoe shops lead the way for a ‘world of disappointment’ as they never have my size, but I actually had a choice!

Looked round shops, Rasputin for DVD’s (nothing) But saw a cover of CD I liked

CB2, crate and barrel (again – sale just started) cafe Madeleine

Then, as it was across the road, popped into Macy’s once again! Loving the Brazilian vibe they have going on, fun and colourful and yes, did buy some more items to juzz up the wardrobe, which included flip flops which at first attempt appear to be a punishment rather than an item to wear

Headed back to hotel, met Dean the other concierge, itinerary waiting in the room. Rest, shower, getting ready

In the house car to the Redwood room for the fantastic blackberry Margarita’s, and it appears you can now take photos in there now

Drank a couple, left to be greeted by drizzle, across the road to Colibre for their yummy food, it really is the best, I have the same thing every time and I can see why, the cornbread is so light it really should be illegal, and Paul’s steal was perfect – and it was great that the waitress remembered us

Popped into wine shop for bottle of fizz

Walk back to hotel, into lift

Room, (yummy) fizz, Will and Grace, bed

Saturday

Ok, not great sleep and head bit fuzzy, but it’s a sunny morning

Eggs Benedict in the room

But not as good as yesterday, today with ham, day before with bacon – who knew there could be a choice? Not us, that’s for sure
Bath, shower, business center to print out reservation for car hire – and out

Walk to Yerba centre for tickets to see new alien film in the evening, lunch, then listening to Cuban music in the garden

Then on to look at Trace restaurant, which used to be XYZ, main menu looked only OK, brunch one looked better

Onto museum modern art (shop) bought 3D wrapping paper. Then to cafe, woman in door gave us free tickets to get in

Quick shower/ change and off to the pictures, via Starbucks for espresso and half sandwich

Saw Prometheus the alien pre thing, bit disappointing/ confusing/ over complicated/ unpleasant/ grim/ dull – which is a shame. The film kind of offered more questions than answers really, but I didn’t believe what it was offering anyway

Adverts in the states pre film I think are even more annoying than UK and lots for things on TV. And then adverts for mobile phones and texting and then follow up ones requesting that people turn off phones and don’t text

Some people on cinemas behave very oddly to fellow customers, needed pee pee during film, but women at end of row seemed reluctant to stand and instead just slightly moved their feet to the left/ right. Believe me, that’s not very helpful at all

Anyway, did film and was great to do cinema on Saturday night, wondered to restaurant and found chronicle books and saw two I liked, the vegan one the food looked yummy!

By chance we also walked passed apartments we should of been staying in but they cancelled on us – they looked good

And into ‘zero zero’ – an hour early and we were met by a hen night –

After very short wait and just after ordering bottle of wine at bar out table was ready, great spot upstairs, wine was yummy!

Starter was squash blossom stuffed with ricotta OMG!! Mains were yummy too! Great place would deffo go back again

Jumped in cab, hotel, bit of packing, lady bit of wine, Will and Grace and bed

Sunday

up/ huge breakfast arrived, last bit of packing/ out to watch Pride parade on Market ST, the anti-capitalism section at the start was best bit for me and made me feel very emotional, other best bit was the crazy Pride balloon costumes

Then as the parade continued we had to move on to check out and pick up the car (which bit of that do you think was the most stressful?) thankfully traffic cop allowed me to drive the wrong way down a one way street that was closed due to the parade, which appeared would last another 6 weeks

Into car with its crazyness, off to Union St for breakfast pizza, which for some strange reason they had decided to change and not for the better and no vodka free bloody Mary too, shame!

Back to car to drive to Napa Valley and Yountville – which everyone else seemed to be doing also, but we hit blue skies and heat

Arrived at the spa to a free glass of red wine, I guess this happens when you stay at a spa in the middle of a ‘wineyard’ (new word)

Paul had his 90 minute massage and i hit the pool and cocktail (pool mule) and me and Squeak soaked up the sunshine

Back to room for joint bath, pool for evening cocktails

Then the restaurant for 5 courses paired with wine (oops)

The basil ice cream was madness! two espressos and then bottle of wine to take to the room (double oops) for Will and Grace and photos from the holiday thus far

Monday ( I think)

Up/ slight hangover breakfast near the bar, pastries, coffee, back to room both writing diaries
Then we hit the hurly burly that is Yountville, popped into caboose for coffee, recommended as the best, but not that impressed

Walk back to hotel, lots of lush plants

Art in bedroom

Paul manged to get us late check out till 1 pm, bit of lounging, dip into pool, back to room, lunch on terrace

Then we had the exhausting 15 minute drive to the next spa

Room at next spa Auberge Du Soliel (eaten by ants) was amazing, but had noisy generator outside, so we were ‘upgraded’ to a room with view of the valley (we should be used to valley’s by shouldn’t we?) Finally unpacked (again) and went for a wander to see the gardens

Then headed for the pool and finally got my bloody Mary, and very spicy it was too!

After catching some rays, back to room for in room dining and to enjoy the birthday cake and free bottle of bubbly

Watched some Will and Grace, both very tired, looked at the stars, bed